Help Through Suffering
(Day 13 – 4 Mar, Wed)
“For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Hebrews 2:18
For a season last year, my job became a heavy weight on my heart. Work followed me through the day. I carried worry home. Weekends no longer felt like rest. There was a quiet strain that never quite lifted.
When I read Hebrews 2:10, I paused. It says that Jesus was made perfect through suffering. He does not speak about suffering from a distance—He stepped into it. When I felt stretched and weary, I was comforted by this truth: Jesus understands. He knows what it is to carry something heavy.
Around that time, I began considering whether to leave my role. There were difficult conversations and restless thoughts. I went back and forth. I felt confused. I felt as though I was losing something. In time, I began to see that God was closing that door in mercy. He slowed me down. He created space. He drew me back into prayer.
As I slowed down, I began to see my fears more clearly. Hebrews 2:14–15 speaks of fear that holds people in slavery. I recognised that fear in myself—fear of the unknown, fear of falling behind, fear of what others might think. I also saw how tightly I had tied my identity to my role and title. When work felt unstable, my sense of worth felt unstable too.
Hebrews 2 helped me reset my perspective. Jesus took on flesh and blood to break the power of fear and set us free. My life is bigger than my job. My worth is greater than any title. I belong to Jesus before I belong to any role or opportunity.
God also upheld me through the church. Hebrews 2:11 says Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters. Those words felt especially real in this season. God cared for me through simple acts—a timely message, a quiet check-in, a brief conversation after service. None of it was dramatic, but it was steady. It reminded me I was not alone.
During this period, attending the lay readers course became an unexpected gift. I learned more about our church, our liturgy, and our worship. I met believers from other parishes whose faith and stories encouraged me. It deepened my reverence in serving, reminding me that worship is not about performance. It is about loving God and loving His people.
As the course drew to a close, I continued praying about work with a simple request: that God would open one clear door—not two or three, just one.
Soon after, a new opportunity emerged. As I stepped into it, I felt peace. Hebrews 2:17–18 came alive to me. It tells us that Jesus is “merciful and faithful,” that He was made like us, that He suffered when tempted, and that He helps those who are being tempted.
In my season, temptation came quietly. I wanted to control outcomes. I compared myself to others. I tried to prove I was enough. But this passage reminded me that Jesus does not wait for us at the end of the struggle—He meets us in the middle of it. He strengthens us to endure. He steadies our hearts. He stays near.
Take heart and turn to Him. When doors close, God is still present. When the path feels unclear, Jesus remains near to us.
Shawn Shantillal🙏✝️
Sunrise Cell